Kale Salad with Strawberry Mango Salsa

The idea of topping salad greens with salsa has been bouncing around in my head for a while now. I can think of many times topping my so-so salad with salsa. So I guess the idea hadn't been in my head but rather in beta testing on my salad plates at countless Mexican restaurants.

But now that summer is near, fruit salsas are again topping grilled chicken and fish in most of the cooking magazines. Feeling inspired to top my grilled chicken with a delicious tropical fruit salsa, I bought some Mango Pineapple salsa from Trader Joe's to try and it was amazing! I imagined it on soy marinated, grilled salmon and chicken and as the finishing on so many dishes that I then thought of my favorite food...salad. I thought of the many times I used plain salsa to top my salads...Wouldn't it be awesome to top a salad with the whole container of this delicious salsa from Trader Joes? There would be no need for a dressing. The bright idea flashed as I looked down and realized I'd eaten the whole container of salsa. Not a drop left to top a salad with, but that didn't mean I couldn't make my own salsa, right? Inspiration comes many ways and just like the TJ's Mango salsa, my trip to SLO brought me Kale. The perfect marriage.

I love Kale. It is chewy and hearty and unexpectedly, floral in it's taste. I think it tastes best when paired with fruit. The Strawberry Mango Salsa is sweet and tangy and works perfectly with this delicious green. It's perfect for summer BBQs because you keep the salsa and the greens separate until ready to serve, that way your greens don't wilt after sitting in all that juice. Enjoy!

Kale Salad with Strawberry Mango Salsa
Serves 4-6

3 large leaves of Kale, chopped
1 medium head of green leaf lettuce, chopped

Strawberry Mango Salsa
1 cup strawberries, diced
1 cup mango, diced
1/2 cup pineapple, diced
2 T cucumber, small dice
1 T red bell pepper, small dice
1 T jalapeno, small dice (optional)
2-3 green onion, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 T agave syrup or honey
2 T orange juice concentrate
2 T vinegar
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T fresh ginger, grated
sea salt (to taste)

Chop, rinse and spin lettuce and kale and place in a large serving bowl. Set aside.
Prepare Salsa. The ingredients are approximate as I added a little here and there to get the right amount of sweetness so this is my closest approximations. Feel free to adjust to your taste. 
Add all fruit and vegetable ingredients into a medium sized bowl with tight fitting lid (for storage) and mix well. In another bowl add agave syrup or honey, OJ concentrate, vinegar, olive oil, ginger and salt and whisk together until well combined. Add to fruit, mix and chill covered in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or overnight. (This is a good make-ahead salad)

When ready to serve, place Kale salad on a plate and top with this deliciously sweet Strawberry Mango Salsa. Enjoy!

Looking for a new salad recipe for Spring and Summer? Try some of these:

Sunflower Sprout Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Nappa Cabbage Salad with Ginger Garlic Dressing 
Caprese Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette
Green Goddess Primavera Salad
Vegetable Ceviche